Virginia Set to Host Syracuse in ACC Opener
By Josh Burton
After a thrilling ACC/SEC challenge win over Texas A&M, the University of Virginia Men’s Basketball team will be back in action at John Paul Jones Arena on Saturday (12/2) to open ACC play against Syracuse. The game will air on ESPN2 with a scheduled noon tipoff.
About Syracuse
The Syracuse Orange come into this game having beaten LSU 80-57 in their ACC/SEC Challenge game, and boast a 5-2 overall record. The Orange are led by first-year head coach Adrian Autry, an assistant under retired Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim since the 2011-2012 season.
On the court, Syracuse has nine players averaging double digit minutes, led by 6’4” sophomore guard Judah Mintz (20.4 points, 4.1 assists, 3 rebounds per game). Joining him in the backcourt are 6’4” guard JJ Starling (Notre Dame transfer, averages 11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists), and 6’6” Charlottesville native sophomore guard Justin Taylor (7.6 points, 6.1 rebounds per game).
In the frontcourt, Syracuse starts 6’7” sophomore forward Chris Bell (14.6 points per game) alongside 7’4” junior Naheem McLeod (Florida State transfer, averages 5.7 points and 5.3 rebounds). Although a starter, McLeod plays less minutes overall than 6’8” sophomore forward Maliq Brown, a Culpeper native who averages 7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Matching Up
Similar to the A&M game Wednesday night, this should be another matchup of best on best where fourth-year captain Reece Beekman will be assigned to guarding Judah Mintz. Mintz is a different type of player from the recent matchup with Wade Taylor, as Mintz is longer and a better shooter (hitting 42.9% from three-point range). Although the Hoos picked up a sweep of Syracuse last season, Mintz scored 18 and then 20 in the two contests. As the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year, this matchup should certainly have Reece’s attention.
Going along in the backcourt, again we have similarly sized opponents for Isaac McKneely and Andrew Rohde to contend with. Starling and Taylor could both be interchangeable for the pair of Hoos, depending on how things are shaking out. Starling averages double digit points, but almost none of it comes from outside the arc. Meanwhile, Taylor has a reputation as a shooter. The Charlottesville native has gotten off to a slower start this year though, hitting just 32.9% from outside. Having seen Coach Williford’s comments about Isaac’s athleticism and lateral quickness on the Coach’s Corner radio show last week, I would expect McKneely to start on Starling with the longer Rohde on Taylor.
In the frontcourt, we begin with what should be another excellent one on one matchup. Second-year sensation Ryan Dunn should begin on Chris Bell. Bell is more of an outside-in scorer, hitting 37.9% on over eight attempts per game from three. This matchup should allow Dunn to show off his perimeter defensive chops as scouts continue to look into him as a potential lottery or first round NBA draft pick.
The final starting spot is where things get interesting. In the A&M game, Coach Bennett turned back to graduate transfer Jake Groves for the final starting spot. That move sent first-year Blake Buchanan back to coming in from the bench after having started the previous four games. It seems as though the coaching staff prefers the spacing that Groves provides on the court. For good reason, as Groves has provided a team-high 130.7 offensive rating so far this season.
Changing Style
The biggest thing to note about Syracuse this season is that they are no longer exclusively playing the 2-3 zone that Boeheim made famous. Although they go to it on occasion, they are now mainly playing a man-to-man defense. This will be different from past meetings, although it is now similar to the style of defense that UVA is accustom to seeing from opponents.
Gertrude Watch
Before the A&M game tipped off, it was revealed that Dante Harris would be unavailable due to an ankle injury. The backup point guard was spotted on crutches. Partially because of this, Elijah Gertrude’s redshirt was burned as he not only suited up but also took the court in both halves of the contest.
After the game, Coach Bennett mentioned that there had been discussions about removing Gertrude's redshirt even before the injury to Harris. The Top 50 ranked recruit has progressed well after recovering from a torn ACL he suffered just over a year ago. His athleticism was on display in his debut, as he soared for a defensive rebound and picked up a great block. Not only did he do well in his minutes but he also showed why he has a very bright future ahead in a Cavalier uniform.
Up Next
After the ACC opener, the Hoos will return to JPJ once again to face North Carolina Central on Tuesday (12/5) in the final contest before exam break. As always, Locker Room Access will have all the coverage you need!
(Featured Image Credit: Getty)